WELCOMBE
TO STANBURY MOUTH
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Walked 12.4.1997:
Ascent 1799 ft : Descent 1697 ft : Distance 4.27 miles : 4¼
hrs |
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The weather for March and April was hot and dry, we had no
rain for a month! So today we were in shorts! Welcombe was easier
to find than we had thought, we had to wind our way through lots
of little roads until we came to the rough lane leading down
to the car park. There were quite a few cars parked here today.
The valley is lovely and wide and the views are spectacular.
The coastal footpath left the car park vertically! When we finally
reached the top we immediately dropped down into Marsland Mouth
and went over a bridge into Cornwall. It was so warm and sheltered
here, with a beautiful house in the valley that we wanted to
stay forever. On the way down we stood and watched lots of stonechats
fluttering around the gorse, also we stopped at a restored lookout
called " Duncans Hut". We passed some people on the
next hill, and then we found a flat area to sit down and have
our lunch. We sat on top of the cliffs watching rock climbers
on Gull Rocks. It was a bit blowey up here now, so we put our
jumpers back on. We went on towards Morwenstow, it was very steep
but we all made it very well. We got to Hawkers Hut and went
inside.
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Dot,
John and Helen in the car park at Welcombe |
Later on we stopped for a rest beside an old deserted
coastguard shelter at Higher Sharpnose Point, which is an exposed
spur of cliff. The wind was really cold here but we still walked
out on the ridge path which was only about 3' wide, to the end.
We turned and waved to Colin and then hurried back again frozen
with the wind. There was no movement out at sea today and only
a few people were out and about. We walked on up a muddy track
out onto a headland again, and then down into Stanbury Mouth.
The valley was lined with yellow gorse and where the sunken path
turned into a lane the flowers were covered in butterflies.
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John
on the border |
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At one point the lane divided in two, one path went upwards
and the other went straight on. Colin tried the uphill path and
disappeared for several minutes before he returned with the good
news that we had to walk upwards again! We passed a dead badger
further up and then saw our car waiting for us in the deserted
car park. There are no houses around here just empty fields and
valleys. We returned to Welcombe and the car park was crowded
with travellers, and one group were playing a didgeridoo, It
was warm and sunny down here and sheltered from the wind so we
stayed to have a cup of tea. We eventually left and went to Bude
to have our tea.
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A
typical view from the path |
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